Democrats now have a permanent home in Livingston County, as the party — for years a virtual nonfactor in local politics — prepares to move into its new, year-round office.
Currently home only to a few computers, chairs, tables and a smattering of political lawn signs, Democratic officials hope the office on Grand River Avenue in Brighton Township will be the place where the party's rebirth happens.
"When you're developing a base and reaching out to people, if you have a place that people can come in and volunteer, it makes it a lot easier," said Joe Carney, county Democratic chairman. "A lot of work has been done over many years to lay the foundation for this."
I have to tip my hat to Joe Carney for giving us a fight. It makes both of our parties better in the long run. I hope people in my own party are concerned and scared about Joe Carney winning a school boards seat. The democrats in our county want us to be complacent and want us to become lazy. Combine that with the perfect storm of infighting, an anti-incumbent mood, strong funding, and low turnout, and that is how the democrats can win with a strong candidate. Not every candidate is going to be a joke like Frank McAlpine was in 2002.
This is a major gamble and investment by the democrats. The office is going to drain their coffers, bigtime. I'd have to guess $15,000 a year in rent, plus phone, electricity, gas, internet, and water costs each month. Even with the union money from the IBEW and MRCC, that's still a good chunck of change in administrative costs, which is fine by me. That's money that does not go towards campaigns. $20000 was twice what my representative, Joe Hune, spent in his first race.
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